Development of the Low-temperature Arterial Heat Pipes

Development of low-temperature and cryogenic thermal control systems used in spacecrafts is one of the difficult and interesting scientific task. Lavochkin Association has been designing such systems since 1968. Since 1972 the low-temperature thermal control systems with application of diode heat pipes, radiators with heat pipes, thermal storages with PCM have been successfully operating on board of spacecrafts “OKO” and “OKO-1”.

The present paper describes the recent developments of the low-temperature arterial Heat Pipes and technical solutions applied in cryogenic system of the “OKO-1” family. Latest satellite put in orbit in April 2003.

The paper briefly describes the following aspects:

• layout of the thermal control system;
• description of design and parameters of the low temperature arterial heat pipes used in thermal control system;
• description and results of on-ground tests;
• telemetrical temperature data obtained during the system operation in obit;
• comparison of the thermal analysis and on-ground test results with the flight operation data.

The paper presents the conclusion of the possibility to obtain cryogenic temperatures for the high power systems (several watts) using passive facilities without application of vapor-compressive or sorption-diffusion machines.